


The Orchestra-Walker

by FigguyFangirl



Category: Dr. STONE (Anime), Dr. STONE (Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Library, Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Boys in Skirts, Coming Out, Denial of Feelings, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Fluff and Angst, Gender Roles, Genderplay, Hyoga and Homura are understand, I love writing edgy Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Internalized Homophobia, Light Academia, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Mild Smut, Orchestra, Pride, Romance, Russia, Scars, Senku needs a hug, Slow Burn, This fandom needs more fanfics, sengen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 20:34:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29656920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FigguyFangirl/pseuds/FigguyFangirl
Summary: A Sengen College AU-Senku gave him a lopsided smirk and then sat on the counter, legs folded under him and looking at Gen.“Science has explored and discovered many things but there’s one thing we still struggle with is the human conscious.” He pointed to his forehead. “Like what is that thing that makes us recognise that it’s us in the mirror we’re looking into? What makes us aware of our existence?” he looked down at his torso than put his hand on his heart. “We don’t even know if we have souls. I don’t mean in the religious sense but I mean are our souls and conscious septate if they’re real?”Senku thought back to the topic of the haunted house. “Are ghosts lost souls or foggy embodiments of our minds? The questions of souls and conscious needs to be answered before the ghosts questions.”
Relationships: Asagiri Gen/Ishigami Senkuu, Hyoga/Homura
Kudos: 26





	The Orchestra-Walker

**Author's Note:**

> hi Hello!
> 
> im back with another depressing tale. you'll know i like to emotionally torture my characters if you've read my other works. this is no different ):. Things in this chapter are meant to be vague but it will be explained in the next chapter!
> 
> NB! One of the charters deals with internalized homophobia in the story so this is your warning for that. This does also feature some manga charterers but no spoilers.
> 
> Instagram: senkisboo

“Senku!”

A loud, familiar voice screamed as Senku Ishigami walked out the lecture hall. In seconds, his childhood friend, Taiju Oki, was now tackling him in a hug.

“You’re crowding me, you big oaf!” Senku said as he was squeezed. But he didn’t make any move to get away. He had really missed his best friend in the last five years.

“It’s good to see you again, Senku.” Yuzuriha Ogawa said once Senku had been freed from Taiju’s hold.

Taiju was a crying mess already. Everyone walking out the lecture hall gave him a confused or concerned glance. “Please never leave again!”

Senku scratched his ear with a chuckle. “I’m back and that’s all that matters.”

The more Yuzuriha and Taiju heard him talk, the more they noticed it – the accent. The Russian accent that was there even when he spoke Japanese. But like Senku had said, he was here and they were happy.

He was here, standing in front of them, wearing a sweater with a white collar sticking out, grey slacks rolled up to show off white socks and converse. His white hair was still long with mint green streaks and tied back in a low ponytail. Stopping just under his hair line, was a white-pink vertical scar reach his eyebrow.

All three of them began walking across the sports field, towards the university gates.

“We’ve made some friends from campus.” Yuzuriha explains.

“They’re so cool, we’d really like you to meet them!” Taiju yelled.

Senku hadn’t had much time before now to see his friends. He’d returned to Japan eight days ago and started his study of advanced chemistry. But it felt as if no time had passed since seeing these two.

Senku had moved to Moscow, Russia when he was thirteen and it had been hard to leave the people he grew up with.

They walked through the campus gates, chatting and laughing. They crossed the street as the sky began to darken. They walked past a couple houses before they stopped and Yuzuriha knocked on the door of a large white townhouse facing the university.

A tall blonde guy answered the door. He was just as loud as Taiju. “Taiju! Yuzuriha! Ah, you must be Senku. I’m Ryusui Nanami!”

He held out his hand. Senku shook it. “That’s me.”

Ryusui stepped to the side and they walked in.  
The floors were of crisp white tiles and there were abstract paintings all over the white walls. Senku could hear more loud voices as they walked into the open living room.

The three people sitting on the couch were not the absurd thing in the room. They were all pretty normal looking – a girl with blonde hair, a girl with pink hair and guy with short brown hair. However they were cheering on two guys fighting near the couch.

The one guy was tall, wearing a black jacket and sweatpants, white hair getting in his eyes. He was currently on the floor, with the other’s guy’s foot on his neck. The other guy was tall – Senku calculated that he probably didn’t fit through doors – and wore a baggy red shirt and simple black jeans.

Even through the guy on the floor looked like he was close to dying, no one seemed worried.

When the taller guy saw them, he took his foot away. “Hello.” He said with a smile.

The guy on the floor sat up, coughed a bit and then waved at them.

“Senku,” Ryusui said. “This is Tsukasa and Hyoga. We have a joke in our circle that no one can take down Tsukasa. Hyoga is the only one that has come close.”

Taiju, Yuzuriha, Senku and Ryusui sat down on the large couch. Tsukasa and Hyoga followed.

“Everyone, this is Senku!” Taiju announced, patting his friend on the back rather hard.

The blonde girl – Kohaku and the guy with brown hair – Chrome – introduced themselves happily. While the girl with the pink hair, Homura, and Hyoga juts nodded at him as they sat next to each other. They seemed to be the quiet ones, Senku noted.

“Ukyo and Gen said they’d be here soon from orchestra practice.” Ryusui said as he started preparing drinks in the kitchen.

“So, Senku,” Tsukasa says as he sits on the floor. Yuzuriha starts brushing his hair on the couch behind him. “Taiju said you’re from Moscow.”

Senku nodded. “I moved there when I was thirteen with my dad. He was offered a job at a space research centre and I was happy to tag along.” He accepted the glass of water Ryusui handed him. “His contract ended and now I’m back here studying the sceicnes. What are you guys studying?” 

Senku Ishigami didn’t like to talk about himself. Barely anyone knew when his birthday was. So that’s why he said everything he wanted to and moved the conversation to the other people around them.

Tsukasa seemed to be the conversationalist among them. “Hyoga and I are here on a sports scholarship. Homura and Kohaku do ballet at the studio. Chrome studies coding. Ryusui studies business. The other guys that are coming – Ukyo studies music and Gen is doing psychology and music on the side.”

Senku noted that they were a diverse group of friends. They all looked proud when Tsukasa mentioned their name. Senku gave them all a small smile but there was one thing he couldn’t stop thinking about – Tsukasa’s hair.

Just then, there was the clicking of the front door opening. Senku looked to the door as two guys walked into the lounge.

The shorter guy, was blonde and wore pastel yellow. On his back was a violin case. He must be Ukyo.

The other guy – Gen was completely different.  
Dyed black and white hair, a lavender sweater and torn black jeans. Rings covered his fingers and a piercing hung from his nose and another from his lip. There was a slight jingling sound from his boots covered in chains and his multiple earrings.

“You made it!” Chrome said cheerfully.

Ryusui held up his drink happily. “Welcome!”

Ukyo waved and placed his violin next to the couch and sat down next to Chrome. Gen sat down next to Senku, as it was the only open spot.

And Senku told himself not to stare. 1 – Because it’s rude. 2 – Because he couldn’t give anything away. But it was so hard to not pay attention to Gen. He smelt like lavender and a fresh shower. From under his long sleeves, Senku could see strong, tendinous hands and fingers. His eyes trailed to his lips and he stared at how the lip ring moved as Gen spoke to everyone. His lips were-

_Senku, stop._

_Stop._

“I can’t stay for long.” Gen said.

“Have a magician party to go to?” Kohaku joked.

Gen rolled his eyes. “Orchestra was just tough today. And I have work in the library tomorrow.”

“The library?” Senku said.

Gen finally looked at him for the first time. “The campus offers jobs at the library. It seemed easy so I took it.”

And just like Gen said, he didn’t stay long. He chatted with everyone for a bit but soon left with a cheerful wave.

Senku didn’t stay long either – he had homework to get to and he was tired. It was dark as he walked back onto the campus grounds. His hair fell in front of his eye briefly as he took a slight detour away from the dorm area. He got out a pen when he reached the library and signed his name on the work chat that hung on the hall of the outside building. He signed his name neatly and walked off.

Once back in his dorm, Senku plopped down at his desk with his headphones and his textbooks. But he just couldn’t concentrate.

He was thinking about one thing and one person. He was still thinking about Tsukasa’s hair. Everyone seemed so cool with a guy having long hair here. But back in Moscow – that wasn’t seen as normal. Senku was picked on and hurt relentlessly for it. It wasn’t just that. Kohaku did ballet but she was so tall and muscled and he could tell the clothes she wore wee from the guy’s section. It was so different from what he’d seen in the last five years. Not that it was a bad thing.

And then there was Gen.  
A small warm glow filled Senku’s chest when he thought of him. But that feeling was soon conquered by the feeling of shame and disgust, shame and disgust at himself. Senku knew from what he’d studied that his attraction to Gen was currently only physical – because Gen was attractive. Yet, he couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that Gen was in the orchestra. He wanted to know what instrument he played. He wanted to hear him play music no matter what instrument it was.

_But nothing more,_ he told himself as he stared up at the ceiling.

-

“That’s a good book you have there.” Gen Asagiri said appearing in front of Senku Ishigami.

He lowered _Dante’s Inferno_ and looked at Gen. And he nearly dropped the book.

Gen was wearing a purple worn out band shirt with tiny holes scattered over it. His torn black fish net gloves that highlighted just how strong his hands looked. Things got even better when Senku’s eyes travelled further down his body. Because well – Gen was wearing a skirt. A dark grey pleated skirt that went mid-thigh with torn black stockings underneath them.

With Gen in a skirt and reciting the opening lines of the book, Senku believed in a miracles for a split second.

“Death itself can hardly be worse; but since I got some good there I’ll talk about the bad as well.” Gen recited in Latin, as that was what the book was written in.

Truth be told, Gen found it strangely attractive that Senku had gotten himself distracted while packing books in the library. With a brilliant book nonetheless.

“Working the same shift as me, I see.” Senku said. Honestly, he had much more vulgar things on his mind but he felt gross for thinking them.

Gen nodded. “It seems that way.” He bent down and started picking up books from the box Senku had been given by the librarian. He started seeing if any could go on the shelves around them. “What you’ve got there is one of three parts of Dante’s Divine Comedy.”

Senku closed the book with a pout. “I suppose I should find the other two then.”

Gen slid a book from the box onto a low shelf. “I know where it is here. When I find it, I’ll tell you” he then picked up the box and started walking. He turned back to look at Senku. “Well, aren’t you going to help me?”

And Senku followed like an excited puppy. He wanted so badly to stare at Gen while he walked behind him. But every time he stared, an ugly claw scratched at the back of his mind.

Senku knew that the thoughts he had about Gen weren’t wrong. He pictured his hand running up Gen’s leg. He could hear Gen talking all sorts of aspects of classic ligature to him. He wanted to even just touch him if only for a second. These thoughts, these fantasies, were not wrong and he knew it was natural and something he couldn’t control. But still, the thoughts were pushed away quickly and he felt ashamed right after.

For now, he just focused on packing the books in the box away with Gen. He did find a certain joy in it – this feeling of satisfaction and productivity of putting the books away in the perfect order.

“I suppose you can speak Russian.” Gen noted as he packed away a biology book.

Senku nodded. “English too.”

Gen smirked at him. “A language whiz too. Not just a science brain and retty-pay face.”

Senku didn’t have to ask how Gen knew he was a science student. Taiju spoke about Senku a lot. And Senku spoke about Taiju. Not that often though; there weren’t people willing to listen anyway.

“Found it.” Gen suddenly said and handed Senku a thick book.

Senku studied the book. The Divine Comedy. It was thick and had old pages the colour of milky coffee. It was so old the pages creaked.

Senku gave Gen a lopsided smile. “By that token, I should give you something to read.” He started walking up the aisle. “I think I saw it here just now.” he ran his fingers over the spines and found it. He slid it out and handed it to Gen.

“I didn’t take you for the . . .” Gen read the title then skimmed over the blurb. “ . . . For the German mystery novel type.” The book was _The Night Walker_ by Sebastian Fitzek.

“If I tell you why I enjoyed it, I’ll spoil it.” Senku told him. He still remembered the joy he felt when he read that book.

When their shift was over, they walked up to the front desk, checked out the books and sauntered out the large old library together.

“So what brought you back to Japan?” Gen asked.

Senku was now used to saying it so he had no tremor in his voice. “My dad’s contract with the research company ended so I came back to my home.”

Senku was so happy to be back. He hadn’t realised just how much he missed Japanese until now. He could speak both Russian and Japanese fluently but his home language always felt somewhat . . . safer.

Just then, he saw Hyoga and Homura jogging beside each other on the sports field. He glanced at Gen. “Are they together?”

“Yep.” Gen answered. “Since high school even. I have a sneaking feeling that they hate everyone but each other. They seem happy with each other though.”

Senku gave the couple one more glance. They were truly polar opposites. Homura was short and petite, with a small frame for her ballet dancing. While Hyoga was tall and muscled, from the professional kick boxing he did. Even though his mouth was hidden by the jacket collar he wore up, you could tell there was a small smile on his face. And Gen was right – the two did seem quite happy with each other. When they rounded a corner on the field or weaved around people, Hyoga would gently place his hand on Homura’s back and Homura would brush her hand on his arm. Senku hadn’t seen them being all hat kind to anyone else but they seemed different with each other, he supposed that some people just had someone else who just brought out the better in them.

-

The next day, after Senku’s chemistry class, he met up with his new friends at a table and bench next to the field. Everyone else was already at the table. Well, save for Tsukasa who was fighting two dark haired guys on the field.

Tsukasa flipped the taller guy over and he lay on his face in the grass, while the shorter guy tried to jump at Tsukasa but his foot was grabbed and he was chucked to the side.

Senku plopped his satchel down next to him. “You not gonna get involved Hyoga?”

Hyoga just shook his head. “My apprentice just heard about Tsukasa and wanted to try his luck with him.”

“Apprentice?” Senku raises an eyebrow.

Chrome explains. “That tall guy, Mozu, is learning kick boxing from Hyoga. He’s really annoying and cocky.”

If Hyoga heard, he said nothing, only continued eating his cup of yogurt.

“That other guy, Matsukaze,” Kohaku started. “He does parkour and he wanted to check Tsukasa out too.”

Senku hummed to himself, the gears in his brain spinning as he opened his tub of ramen for lunch.

“Gen,” Ukyo said, tapping the other guy’s shoulder. “The date just got released.”

Ukyo and Gen looked at something on Ukyo’s phone screen.  
Gen’s response involved him laying his head flat on his psychology textbook in defeat.

Ukyo’s cute face was worried. “Is two months enough?”

“Is that for the music performance?” Chrome asked.  
Ukyo nodded. “We’re going to be working our asses off until then.”

Ryusui patted Ukyo on the back rather hard. “You two will be fine! We’ll all be there to watch!”

“That makes it worse~” Gen mumbled.

Senku asked something he’d been thinking for the last couple of days. “Gen, you play the piano right?”

Everyone looked at him in surprise. Except Hyoga – he was still invested in the yogurt he was eating.

Gen smirked at Senku. “Well done.”  
Gen didn’t need to ask how he figured it out – you could tell from his hands and the lack of instrument carried around.  
But in truth, Senku just looked Gen up and found his name from other orchestra performances he’d done. He hadn’t found any video footage of Gen, which he was more disappointed about then he thought he’d be.

Later that day, they all spent the evening at Ryusui’s off campus place once again.  
When Senku pictured nights at university, he pictured late nights studying alone in his dorm. But spending the evening laughing and shouting with his new friends was far, far better.

The current situation started when Chrome saw Homura sitting on the carpet in the W-sitting position. No one noticed him trying to copy her until he shrieked from pain.

“I can’t sit like that!” he cried in frustration.

Kohaku got off the couch and did it easily. “But it’s so easy.”

“Let me take a go at it.” Ryusui got off the couch, knelt on the carpet and sat down on his legs.

“No, you have to put your lower legs next to your thighs, like a W.” Chrome pointed at him.

Ryusui tried to do this but he physically could not without his eyes watering.

“It’s because they’re ballerinas.” Ukyo stated.

Kohaku shook her head. “It’s actually not. My sister can do it and she doesn’t dance.” Yuzuriha proved this by sitting down just like them.

“I’ve seen Nikki do it.” Tsukasa stated.

Gen sat up from the couch, seeming interested. “Can only woman do it?”

Just then, Tsukasa got up from his armchair, sat next to Ryusui on the floor and tried to copy Homura and Kohaku but was unsuccessful.

Senku pursed his lips. “Kohaku and Homura as well as Tsukasa do activities that require being flexible, but Tsukasa can’t do it.” He glanced at the white haired man who was silent. “You do it.”

Hyoga got up silently, sitting next to his girlfriend. But he too, was only able to sit on the back of his legs. “This is odd.”

Gen, Taiju and Ukyo tried their luck but Ukyo was only able to sit that way with extreme pain.

“Does it have something to do with woman being designed to perform child birth?” Ukyo asked.

“I don’t think so.” Senku mused aloud. “This is a thing with the knees while childbirth is a pelvic thing.”  
But in reality, he didn’t know. But with these people, he didn’t feel ashamed to not know. There was no pressure to answer the question or to know everything.

-

“I finished it by the way.”

“Hm?” Senku said, glancing at Gen as they walked back to the dorm area, in the crisp late night.

They crossed the street as Gen replied. “The Night Walker.”

A smile formed at Senku’s lips. “And?”

Gen gave him a lopsided smirk. “I can see why someone like you would like it. It took quite a scientific twist.”

Gen and Senku spoke more about the details of the novel – their favourite lines and events, what they thought would happen and the strange ending.  
Senku felt something in his chest as he spoke with Gen. It was an odd warmth. It was a soft feeling that ran up his spine and into his muscles, making his mouth smile even as he spoke. His heart wasn’t racing, his skin wasn’t sweating and his feet were moving slowly. That’s what he knew fear was. But this – this wasn’t fear. He guessed that this was happiness. So simple yet so comforting.

His scientific mind told him that happiness was subjective and immeasurable. But it also told him that happiness was just the feeling of ‘not fear or sadness’. He didn’t find himself looking for some solution or reason because at the moment there was no problem. He was just here, talking about a German novel with a friend.

When they walked back onto campus grounds, Senku stated that he had finished The Divine Comedy and he told Gen what he thought of it.

“I loved it.” Senku finished off.

And then Gen did something that Senku would remember for a long time. He smiled at him.  
It wasn’t a sneaky smile. It was genuine smile that Senku had caused.

He thought about the smile when he was alone back at his dorm. He flopped onto the bed and stared up the ceiling and found himself pondering up more ways to make Gen smile.  
And the answer was rather clear.  
Honesty.

Because Senku had truly loved the book, and he told Gen that. His honesty had made Gen smile.

The comforting, happy thoughts didn’t last for long though.

Science was the only thing that was always true. He would never lie about it. If you conducted it correctly, you would get the true answer no matter how much you wanted a different answer. It was reassuring in a sense, to Senku. It was like a friend that never lies. But Senku still felt like a hypocrite even though he was so passionate about the truth.

 _With science, I can find the truth and be honest about everything,_ he thought to himself like he had ten billion times before, _but the only thing I haven’t been honest about is myself._

-

Senku knew he couldn’t just ignore it. He had to answer the call. He pulled his phone from his pocket and gave a flat smile to his friends at the round table.  
“I need to take this or the whole of Russia will hunt me down.” He joked as he walked away.

He scurried off from the outside community era, where all the students hung out before or after lectures. He stood in the shade of a tree and picked up the call.

“What do you want?” Senku hissed. He then realised he had spoken in Japanese. The caller was Russian. He really hadn’t spoken Russian at all in the last few weeks since he came back to Japan. He re-asked the question. “что тебе надо?”

“Senku . . . how have you been?”

Senku chuckled. “Cut the small talk.”

“I just want to know how your studies are going.”

“Why? So you can make sure I’m working up to your standard?”

There was silence for a few seconds. “Well yes.”

Senku heard Ryusui laughing from the table. When he glanced back, he saw that Chrome had said something funny, which made the group burst out laughing.  
His grip on his phone was painfully tight. “I’m doing great.” He ended the call and made his way back.

Senku said hello to them all again with a smile. He didn’t even realise Gen had sat down next to him until a ringed hand was waved in front of his face.

“Everything alright there, Scientist?” Gen asked quietly.

Senku stared at Gen for a second. He glanced down his body and saw that Gen was wearing a skirt again.

_He looks really good._

The thought was soon cut down by other thoughts. He remembered how things were in Russia.  
The woman were to look pretty all the time. The men were to impress women.

The table around him contradicted this entirely though. The men here were pretty; Tsukasa with a long plait, Ukyo with pastel clothing and hair dyed ash blonde and Gen in a bloody skirt and piercings. In Russia, you’d never see woman in sweatpants and a hoodie like Kohaku was.  
Senku touched his ponytail of hair. He remembered just what he’d gone through when he grew it out. His dad was completely fine with it but the people at school weren’t, but he never cut it. But worst of all, you would never catch a guy making a move on another guy in Russia. The scar above his eyebrow burned.

“Yeah, I’m good.”

“Let’s go!” Taiju suddenly said.

Senku blinked. “Go where?”

“Chrome wants us to go to a haunted house.” Kohaku explained with a sigh.

“Haunted in what respect?”

Ryusui replied with cheer. “Like ghosts and shit.”

Senku hewed his cheek and then answered. “I’ll go but bare in mind, ghost aren’t real.”

“What proof do you have of it?” Gen asked.

The whole table was silent for a few seconds but soon everyone caught on but Senku.

Senku glanced at Gen. “Well, have you ever seen a ghost?”

“No.” Gen replied.

Ukyo jumped in. “That doesn’t mean they’re not real though.”

“The fact that no one has seen them proves they aren’t real.” Senku said to him.

Homura added her piece next. “I have seen a ghost.”

“Your proof?”

She shrugged. “You weren’t there.”

“It’s all about you trusting people’s words.” Hyoga said.

Suddenly Tsukasa appeared net to Senku and said something in a whisper. “I think they’re pranking you.”

A few seconds ago, Senku thought he’d been the smartest person at the table. But now he was sitting wide eyed while everyone else laughed. Taiju was the only one not laughing, he was defending Senku.  
But Senku didn’t mind any of it. He knew this was what friends did and he hadn’t seen or been around friends for five years.

-

“Evening.” Senku said as he walked into the library.

“Salutations.” Gen said from the front desk.

It was almost midnight and there was no one in the library save for Senku and Gen. Most people didn’t want to work the night shift at the library. Both Gen and Senku had volunteered as they had lectures only in the afternoon of the next day. The library night shift wasn’t too much work, just filling in the computer log and stacking away books.

“I’m taking the computer.” Gen said, already clicking away on the mouse.

Senku placed his satchel on the front desk. “Oh come on.”

Gen pointed to the box of books on the floor. “They’re all yours.”

Sighing, Senku picked up the box and started putting them on the shelves a few metres away.

Gen glanced at Senku from over the screen. He could never really describe it but there was always something so graceful about Senku. He was so assured of every word he said and every action he made. Simply watching him crouch down and put away books was mesmerising.  
Although he kept his hair tied back, there were always strands of hair in Senku’s face. Gen told himself that he was looking at Senku’s hair and not his eyes, but how could he not want to stare into his eyes. They were gorgeous displays of how much Senku knew and how much more he longed to learn. His bright eyes were so curious and honest.

“So Senku,” Gen said. “You really don’t believe in ghosts?”

Even though Gen couldn’t see him, he heard Senku sigh. “You’re still on about that?”

He chuckled. “I’m just wondering what you think about the whole thing.”

Senku slowly walked back to the desk, with the now empty box. “Would you really want to know what I think?”

For the first time, Gen could hear uncertainty in Senku’s voice. He put his elbows on the table and looked at Senku from across the counter. “Yes, I would.”

The science student scratched his ear. “The truth is, I don’t know.”

Gen patted the counter. “Go on, explain what you don’t know to me.”

Senku gave him a lopsided smirk and then sat on the counter, legs folded under him and looking at Gen.  
“Science has explored and discovered many things but there’s one thing we still struggle with is the human conscious.” He pointed to his forehead. “Like what is that thing that makes us recognise that it’s us in the mirror we’re looking into? What makes us aware of our existence?” he looked down at his torso than put his hand on his heart. “We don’t even know if we have souls. I don’t mean in the religious sense but I mean are our souls and conscious septate if they’re real?”  
Senku thought back to the topic of the haunted house. “Are ghosts lost souls or foggy embodiments of our minds? The questions of souls and conscious needs to be answered before the ghosts questions.”

For a couple seconds, Gen was quiet. But then he leaned back in the chair. “I never thought about it like that.”

“If I ever have time, I may find a way to research it.” Senku says, slightly more cheerful. He looked up at the ceiling. “I just want to lay my eyes upon the galactic wonders first.”

Senku went back to stacking more books while Gen continued on the computer. All was quiet for a long time until Gen heard an utterly awful sound. It was the sound of a piano wailing in protest.

“I found an old piano!” Senku called from a dark, hidden corner of the library.

“Stop!” Gen yelled back at him.

There was another scream from the piano as Senku slammed his palms down on the keys.

Gen got up from the front desk, followed the sounds of the piano and found Senku in a small corner, sitting at an upright piano that was covered in dust.

Senku titled his head at Gen. “Play something.”

Gen crossed his arms. “Nope.”

“You embarrassed?”

“No. you’re just not the type to appreciate my talents.”

Senku gestured at the bookshelves around them. “I’ve been tolerating you for weeks now. This won’t hurt.”

“Alright alright.” Gen shooed him off the piano stool and told him to watch from aside. He started flexing his fingers. “Unlike the movies, it is incredibly difficult to play with someone sitting next to you. So no romantic piano duet tonight.”

Senku almost flinched at the word ‘romantic’. But he remained still, standing next to Gen as the leys were dusted off with his sleeve. He had been waiting to see and hear Gen play something for a while now.

“Anything you have in mind?” Gen asked, playing middle C.

Senku shrugged. “First thing that comes to your mind.”

Gen taped his foot on the floor, trying to think of something to play. The piano was unturned and he didn’t feel like anything that required stretching across the piano.  
“I have an idea.” He muttered happily.

Placing his fingers on the correct keys, Gen took a deep breath than started playing.

Senku was put in a spell right after the first few notes. He didn’t know the name of the song but he didn’t need to. Because the song rattled him somewhere that didn’t quite feel physical. As if his own thoughts and the sounds of hearts were listening to the music.

And watching Gen’s fingers fly over the keys with powerful, elegant skill was just as fantastical. At first it was almost shocking how naturally this seemed to come to Gen. But Senku thought about himself – science and maths came like second nature to him. He supposed everyone had their own version of ‘Science’.

The song was then over. But the feeling Senku felt was still there – his very being rattled.

Senku looked at the keys. “What’s that song called?”

Gen whispered something. Senku leaned down so he could hear it again. ["Never Let Me Go"](https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=yhs-invalid&ei=UTF-8&p=never+let+m%2Ce+go+florence#id=1&vid=350171483b5b03d2e87202d8e103de1e&action=click)

Senku nodded. This time, he let himself look at Gen. He let himself appreciate the brilliant person before him. They were so, so close.

“I may not know a thing about meta psychics,” Gen stated quietly. “But I think our souls can be whatever we want them to be. After all, we don’t choose the bodies we come in, but we can choose what makes us happy, what makes us want to stay here. We create our souls while meeting other’s souls.”

Senku didn’t even think when he answered. “A soul needs other souls to live.”

_Do it._

Senku leaned in and held out a hand for stability. But his hand slipped when it met the smooth white keys and he stumbled. He truly missed his chance to kiss someone he actually wanted to for the first time.

Gen just laughed and helped Senku stand back up properly. “I enjoyed this night shift with you, Senku.” He simply said.

-

It’s said that people look like their own pets. While that may be true, there was something else like it true: people looked like their car. And Tsukasa Shishio did in fact look like his car.

Senku discovered this when he walked up to a navy blue double cab pick-up truck in the student’s parking lot. Tsukasa was leaning against the car, looking at something on his phone. His hair wasn’t tied up today, and hung over his shoulders and in his face.

“Morning Senku.” He greeted and unlocked the car.

Senku frowned when he had to jump a bit to slide into the passenger seat but he said nothing as Tsukasa started the monster up.

Tsukasa started pulling out the parking spot. “What is it you said you needed?”

“A Clasen Flask. I cracked mine a couple days ago and I think the chemical trade agency has some.” Senku replied.

Yesterday when Senku had said that he needed the tool Tsukasa offered to drive him as he was going into the sister anyway.

“Fine by me.” Tsukasa said and started along the highway into the city. “You’re fine with me visiting my sister on the way back, right?”

Senku shrugged. “All I really care about is the flask, so sure, you can do that.”

Senku looked around the interior of the car. It was neat and shiny. There was a familiar smell to the front seat – it was Hyoga’s deodorant. Tsukasa and Hyoga were best friends of course, so it was only natural. Besides the dorm keys and wallet, there wasn’t much actually in the car. From what Senku had seen, Tsukasa just didn’t have much of anything in general. Tsukasa even dressed simply – a dark red shirt, jeans, boots and a small string bracelet with pink shells laced onto it around his wrist.  
Tsukasa didn’t seem all that materialistic.

After ten minutes of driving, Senku pointed out a few streets and turns and they were outside the chemical distribution agency.

“There we are.” Senku said as they parked. He excitedly opened the door. “You can come with if you want. It’ll be pretty boring though.”

Tsukasa switched off the car. “I’m interested.”

Senku scurried towards the plain, grey building, with Tsukasa stepping along behind him. They walked in and Senku went straight to the front desk. Tsukasa noted that the place didn’t really look like somewhere to go . . . scientific shopping.

Senku greeted the woman at the front desk but she was reluctant.

“You’re just a random university student. We don’t sell our goods to just anyone.” She stated, not looking up from her notebook.

Sighing, Senku glanced at Tsukasa who stood next to him and then he took off his sunglasses and looked at the woman while clearing his throat.

Her eyes widened. “Are you Byakuya Ishigami’s son?” she said, awed.

“That’s me.” He said flatly.

She stood up from her desk. “I’ll get what you need as quickly as I can.” And she hurried off to a back room.

Tsukasa and Senku were now left in silence. The young scientist put his glasses back on.  
Tsukasa cleared his throat. “How is your father special to this place?”

Senku didn’t look at him as he answered. “He helped a lot with trade between here and the company he worked for in Russia. They love him, he basically kept the business up.” He explained dryly.

The woman returned and handed a small cardboard box to Senku. As he was about to walk away after paying, she said one more thing.  
“Senku dear, I’m really sorry about what happened.”

Senku was still for a moment. Then he just waved at her and walked out.

In the car, Senku was opening and inspecting the flask. As they drove, Tsukasa was of course curious as to what the woman at the counter meant when she apologised. But he wasn’t going to ask about it, he figured that if Senku wanted to talk about it, he would do so on his own accord.

The drive to Tsukasa’s sister wasn’t too far away. However, Senku didn’t expect them to pull up to a hospital. He told himself that maybe she was a nurse. They parked the car and they walked into the hospital, took the elevator up to the third floor and entered into the small waiting room labelled ‘Special Care Unit’.

No nurse came to greet them, there was no one Tsukasa seemed to know in the waiting room. As Tsukasa was signing himself into the front desk, Senku decided that Tsukasa’s sister is actually in hospital with some sort of injury.

“I’ll go wait-” Senku was about to finish his sentence but Tsukasa cut him off.

“You can come visits her, I don’t mind.” He said quietly.

And with that, Senku followed Tsukasa into the Special Care Unit, who seemed to know his way around here very well. They walked past some private rooms and then turned into a bright, open room. There was a single hospital cot in the room and a slight breeze making the net curtains billow.

The blonde girl in the bed was not anywhere close to awake. She was lying soundly, hooked up to breathing machines and an IV. Tsukasa pulled out the chair from the corner of the room and put it next to her bed.

Senku just stood awkwardly to the side. He noticed the string shell bracelet on Tsukasa wrist matched the one around his sitter’s neck.

“Her name is Mirai.” Tsukasa started, brushing away hair from her closed eyes. “She lost consciousness from a car accident six years ago.”

Senku nodded. “I see.”

-

The car ride back was . . . awkward to say the least.

Tsukasa and Senku had just learned vague things about the other – tragic things. Senku had always known that awful events happened to others around him too but an irrational part of him always made him feel alone in that sense. But he was somehow comforted by the fact that someone experienced no longer really having a loved one around. Despite that, their situations were of course different.

He stared at the flask in the box in his lap. Tsukasa cleared his throat and turned up the radio with one hand.

When he heard the piano music through the speakers, a small smile crept onto his face. “Oh, this song is quite pleasant.” Tsukasa said.

Senku recognised the [song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDTD24KsdGc) “This is from Steven Universe, right?”

Tsukasa nodded. “My sister really loved the show.”

Both Senku and Tsukasa hummed along quietly. But even though they weren’t musical geniuses, they both found themselves singing along to the lyrics they knew so well.

_“. . . If I could begin to be  
Half of what you think of me  
I could do about anything  
I could even learn how to love . . .”_

The more they sang, the louder and more care free they became. They didn’t even care when other people in their cars stared at two guys screaming their lungs out to a song from a children’s TV show.

_“I always thought I might be bad  
Now I'm sure that it's true  
'Cause I think you're so good  
And I'm nothing like you”_

Senku had read about how singing in groups releases happiness hormones in the brain and could even relieve stress and pain to a degree. Whether it was placebo affect right now or not, Senku did feel a little more relaxed. He didn’t care one bit about the people looking at them. He didn’t care about the way his voice sounded. He was right here, singing happily with Tsukasa.

_“Look at you go  
I just adore you  
I wish that I knew  
What makes you think I'm so special”_

When the song ended, Senku turned down the radio and glanced at the flask and then at Tsukasa.  
“Tsukasa,” he started. “If there’s one thing I learned about science, is that it gives people a reason to hope. To hope things get better.” he swore he felt the scar by his eyebrow sting as he said the next words. “I think hope got us humans to where we are now.”

The other man was quiet for a few seconds. He loosened his tight grip on the steering wheel as he spoke to Senku. “Thank you. I needed that.”

-

“There aren’t any lights on.” Homura observed as she got out Ryusui’s car.

Chrome got out of Tsukasa’s truck which was parked next to Ryusui’s red sports car. “Well of course there aren’t: no one lives here.”

“No, it’s because ghosts don’t need lights.” Ryusui said in a spooky voice, getting out his car.

“Do ghost even have eyes?” Gen asked, getting out Ryusui’s car.

They were parked in the over grown garden of the haunted house Chrome wanted to visit. Although many people were doubtful, everyone still tagged along.

Taiju snatched a head torch from Senku’s hand and put it around his head. “Well, if they can’t see in the dark, let’s give them light!” and he started bounding off towards the dark, rickety, wooden house.

“C’mon, you heard him!” Chrome said as he and Ryusui happily ran after him.

As they all made their way through the overgrown garden, they made sure to not trip over roots and parts of the old metal fence. The taller people, namely Hyoga and Tsukasa had to duck to avoid wild tree branches.

Yuzuriha, Homura and Kohaku were just behind Chrome, Ryusui and Taiju and kept glancing back at Ukyo, Senku and Gen who were walking behind them. Hyoga and Tsukasa lingered in the back, holding the torches nice and high for everyone to see where they were going.

Chrome called back to the group. “It’s so cool guys! Hurry up!”

Ukyo sighed. “Let me go make sure they haven’t caused a major catastrophe.” And he skipped on ahead to his best friend Chrome, who was already walked through the tall arched doorway of the old building.

Now Senku and Gen were left to be walking alone. Surprisingly, things hadn’t been awkward since the other night in the library, when Senku had failed miserably at trying to kiss Gen. Senku hoped desperately that Gen hadn’t figured out what that move was supposed to be.

“How long have you been a part of the orchestra?” Senku asked, hoping to make conversation.

Gen glanced at him sweetly. “I’ve been a part of the university orchestra for only a few months but I’ve been in a few orchestra groups in high school.”

Senku had never really been interested in orchestral music but he was dying to see Gen and Ukyo perform. He had heard that Ukyo was brilliant on the violin and he had now seen Gen’s piano talents.

Sliding his hands into his pockets, Senku chuckled. “I’ll be sure to be there for the upcoming resonance.”

Everyone became quiet when they reached the house. The wooden patio creaked and squealed as they stepped onto the wood to walk through the doorway with no door.  
It opened into a grand room with no furniture, a curling staircase and rooms off to the side. There was an old glass chandelier. Taiju was on the staircase, shining the torch down at them. Ukyo and Chrome were looking under lifted floorboards.

Kohaku put her hands on her hips. “See in any ghost yet?”

Everyone snickered. Chrome pouted and turned away.

As they were about to start walking forward, there was a cracking and shattering sound. Everyone turned to see that a floor board had broken under Tsukasa and he was standing knee deep in the wood.

“Are you alright?” Yuzuriha gasped, running to his side.

He smiled at her and climbed out. “I’m quite alright.”

“Step on the edges, where two floorboards meet. They’re strongest there.” Senku advised.

And everyone followed his advice.

As they all walked towards the staircase, Hyoga shone his phone torch up at the chandelier. “This seems to be a western style building.”

“I think it is.” Chrome replied, beginning up the stairs. “The story goes that an English guy came here but he refused to learn Japanese and then became lonely here in Japan.”

The stairs were even more unstable then the floorboards and they had to move their torches to look at their feet instead of around them.

“Let me guess,” Gen mused. “He died alone and has sworn to haunt doomed travellers by drowning them in tea.”

Tsukasa snorted. “I hope it’s green tea.”

They got to the top of the stairs. It was a small landing with various rooms as options to explore. Taiju, Gen, Yuzuriha, Ryusui and Senku went to the room furthest on the left. Hyoga, Homura and Tsukasa went to the middle room. Kohaku, Chrome and Ukyo took the room to the right.

“Seems to have been the master room.” Senku said, shining his torch to look at the frame of a double post bed with a dusty mattress but no sheets.

Gen opened a wardrobe against one wall. “No clothing here either.”

“It was likely eaten away by months.”

In seconds, Taiju and Ryusui were climbing onto the bed despite it screaming at the in protest.

“Maybe you shouldn’t-” But Yuzuriha’s advice was already drowned by the sound of Taiju and Ryusui jumping up and down on the old mattress.

There was suddenly a loud hissing from another room.  
“Shhh guys! Ukyo heard something!”

Everything and everyone went silent, waiting and listening.  
There were footsteps. Then there was a shriek of terror.

“WE’E UNDER ATTACK!” Chrome yelled.

“Everyone get out!” Kohaku said. 

Everyone ran back onto the landing to see a short bearded man running from the rom Chrome was in. He had a katana.  
Senku wasn’t sure if he wanted to have seen a ghost rather.

The man was swinging the sword wildly as he neared them.

“Let’s get going.” Hyoga said calmly. And with that he ran to the railing and jumped over it. Without hesitation, Ryusui followed. As well as Kohaku and Homura and Taiju.

“Why aren’t we using the stairs!?” Gen yelled. 

“No time.” Tsukasa said. He grabbed Yuzuriha and threw her off the railing.

The old man with the katana was nearing them.

“Yuzuriha!” Ukyo called. But then he was grabbed by Tsukasa and chucked over the railing as well. 

Gen was thrown off net and he yelled as he was thrown down.

Still confused, Senku was snatched up by Tsukasa. The dark haired man said one thing:

“Trust us.”

And there was no solid ground beneath Senku’s Converse. His hair whipped around his face as he fell down, further away the balcony, back towards where he was going to land.

There was absolutely no way of landing safely. He had no tools of science with him.

But as he closed his eyes, hands caught him firmly. He opened his eyes. Hyoga and Taiju had caught him in their arms. Everyone else that had been thrown over was fine as well and bounding towards the door.

“C’mon Senku!” Taiju called.

Everyone was running out the door, Tsukasa easily catching up and the old man with the katana barrelling after them.

Ryusui and Tsukasa unlocked their cars and everyone clambered in. Just before all the doors were closed, they all heard the old man scream: “Get off old man Kaseki’s land!”

They drove away wildly.

Kohaku rolled down the window of Tsukasa’s car and shouted at the other car as they drove side by side down the empty street. “Chrome, I thought you said no one lived here!”

Chrome rolled down the window in reply. “I didn’t think anyone living lived there!”

As they argued more and everyone laughed, Senku was still recovering from being thrown from the top of a staircase.  
It had been a good eight metres high. Had he not been caught, he could have been seriously injured. But Tsukasa had been right. These people here, they were trustworthy. They all seemed to trust each other without words and with their lives.  
Even though they’d all been chased down by an old man with a katana, everyone was laughing. Even Hyoga and Homura looked somewhat amused.

There didn’t need to be solid ground under his feet. Because if he fell, there were people around him to lend a hand.

-

“I like your shirt.” Gen says, walking along the bookshelf to near Senku.  
They were both working another late shift.

Senku looked down at his Neon Genesis Evangelion shirt that he had pulled over a white collared shirt. “Oh thanks.” He said then looked back up to lay his eyes on Gen. and he nearly dropped the books he was carrying.

Gen was wearing a white button up with a purple sweater vest pulled over it. The sleeves were rolled up to show off rings and bracelets. The platform boots gave him a little more height. The sheer white thigh high socks made his legs look even longer. One of the socks stopped under a black leather strap around Gen’s thigh. Best of all, he wore a matching plaid skirt, showing off his plush thighs.

Everything about this night seemed utterly unearthly. Senku followed Gen around like a lost puppy, listening and staring as he spoke about Oscar Wilde and Karl Marx.

There weren’t expecting someone to be in the library this late so they were both shocked by the sound of the opening door and footsteps.

“Uh, can we help you?” Gen called out. They were after all behind one of the far shelves.

The footsteps came towards them. The person rounded the shelf and they saw who it was.

“Hyoga?”

“You’re both here. Good.” He said flatly. He had clearly just come from the gym as he was carrying a gym bag and wearing sweats and a black shirt which would explain why he was up so late.

Senku placed the last book he was carrying on the shelf and scratched his ear. “What’d you need us for?”

Hyoga glanced at them both through his usual, narrow eyes. “I will not waste mine or your time.” He pointed at Gen. “Gen, Senku has an attraction towards you.” He then pointed at Senku. “Senku, Gen has an attraction towards you.”

They both stared at him, silent and wide eyed.

Hyoga put his hand back down. “Do what you want with that information. Have a good evening.” And he walked out and closed the library door behind him.

Senku and Gen stood silently.

Gen didn’t meet his eyes when he asked. “Is he right?”

Senku looked down at his shirt again. “Is he right about you?”

Now they finally looked at each other. They were both avoiding what they was the truth.

“Well?” Gen said quietly.

They nodded at the same time.

But now what?  
Thankfully for Senku, Gen was the one to make the first move.

“Want to kiss me, Scientist Boy?”

Senku scratched his ear, trying to seem cool and confident. “’Course I do.”

Gen grabbed the collar of Senku’s NGE shirt and tugged him forward while Gen himself stepped backwards, his back against the shelf now.  
Senku was thankful once more – Gen clearly had more experience with this than him.

Gen bent down a little bit so that he was eye level with Senku, who took the opportunity to stand between Gen’s now open legs, their bodies were pressed together, hands twisted in each other’s shirts.  
Without any more stalling, they leaned into each other and their lips met. It was a light kiss at first. They were both trying to figure out what the other would do. But it became deeper when they both realised how much they wanted this.

Gently, Gen took one of Senku’s wrist and guided the hand down to his hips and the pushed it down on his thigh. Senku’s mind shut off for a second there, realising that he was touching intimate, bare skin. When his brain switched back on, his hand slid so that it was on the back of Gens’ thigh. His nails dug into skin and the leather of the thigh strap. At this, Gen sighed blissfully against Senku’s lips.

Senku had never imagined what it would be like to kiss a boy. But this moment – kissing Gen Asagiri in the library – was like ten billion stars suddenly twinkling to life in a dull sky.  
This kiss was something he didn’t know he needed until he actually got the chance to have it.

He knew what to do somehow. He kissed Gen harder and Gen kissed back and wrapped his arms around Senku’s neck.  
If there happened to be people looking at them in the library, Senku didn’t care in this moment. It was a moment for only him and Gen. People had always tried to be so involved in him and who he wanted to be with, that he never got the chance to treasure something that felt so special.

And everything about this felt right: Gen’s ringed fingers in his hair, their lips opening and kissing each other eagerly, bodies pressed together. This felt so damn right.

Gen pulled away after he ran his tongue ring over Senku’s bottom lip. “We should probably get back to our shift.”

The rest of their shift in the library was spent glancing and smirking at one another.  
But as Senku was packing books away in the biology section, a realisation suddenly came to him. What was going to happen to him and Gen after this? Well dating seemed easy enough.  
But there was another thing dawning on him.

He’d kissed a girl once but he’d never had anything close to sex. Senku knew everything there was about sex in a scientific way. He could tell you everything you needed to know as easily as counting. But actually doing it? He told himself to stop thinking ahead. It may not even get there.

-

“You don’ have a roommate?” Gen asked as he walked into Senku’s dorm a couple hours later.

Senku closed the door behind him. “It’s good but it’s paying extra.”

Gen spotted a book on Senku’s pillow. He strolled over to the bed, sat down on it and picked up the book. The Brother’s Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. “Are you enjoying it?”

He put down his bag on his desk. “I am actually, even though I’m not very far.” He was only a few chapters in but he was enjoying the book Gen had suggested to him.

Gen paged through the book and read something from a page. “’I want to live for immortality and I will accept no compromise’. I still love that line.”

The science student chuckled and sat down next to Gen. “Immortality, huh?”

Gen rolled his eyes. “I know that your beloved science says immortality is impossible, but I desire immortality in the more emotional, soul- like sense.”

Senku looked at him expectantly, urging him to continue.

Gen put the book down and faced Senku properly. “What I mean is, living isn’t only physical. It’s how people remember and how the world has been changed from the day you were born to the day you die.”

“And do you think you’ve changed the world yet?” Senku asked him quietly.

Gen gave him a small smile. “I think I have a little bit.”

And they kissed again. Even though it was just like before, the same rush of alive-ness flew through Senku’s veins. His skin still burned when Gen wrapped his arms around his neck and climbed onto his lap.

The wires in Senku’s brain were close to short circuiting right at that moment. Normally, he could think clearly and make sense of what was happening around him but right now the only thing going through his mind was far from logical and scientific:

_Holy shit holy shit holy shit Gen is on my lap he is literally on top of me Gen is wearing a skirt Gen is sitting on top of me and he’s wearing a skirt don’t freak out be calm it’s very hard to be calm right now haha ‘hard’._

Senku finally had the chance to do something he had wanted to do for weeks. He placed either of his hands on Gen legs and ran his hands up so that his fingers pushed up the material of the dark purple skirt. This caused Gen to shudder against his lips.

A few minutes later, Senku was on his back on the bed, with Gen straddling his hip and hands all over each other. Gen quickly pulled away from the kiss, sat up and pulled off his sweater. Senku quickly pulled off the black shirt and chucked it aside.  
Gen grabbed his collar eagerly as he bent down to kiss him again. The kisses were starting to become more desperate and sloppy. Clothes came off quicker, whimpers turned to moans and they giggled when they had to tell each other to be quieter.

And even though Senku was a little nervous, he trusted Gen. and well, he knew what he wanted and who he wanted. Truthfully, he had known what he wanted for a long time but always found himself pushing the desire away and tried to replace it with something other people would accept.

Again, Senku never really pictured what this would be like. He never realised how occasionally awkward things would get when someone’s body made a weird sound or someone’s hand slipped and foreheads hit each other. He always thought it would be some serious, intense thing but well – this was fun. And it didn’t feel wrong like the bigots said it would.

Senku couldn’t help but smile when he saw how good he was making Gen feel. The heavy breathing and moaning from the both of them was just one of the many things driving Senku wild.

And when it was all over, they lay next to each other and stared up at ceiling.

“What did you say?” Gen asked, catching his breath.

Senku wiped sweat from his forehead. “Huh?”

“A couple minutes ago you said something in Russian.” Gen pointed out.

It took Senku a couple moments to clear his head. “Oh, I said ye-bat‘. It means fuck in Russian.”

Gen laughed. “Was it that good?”

Senku kicked his shin with his foot. “You really think the world of yourself, don’t you?”

But Gen just laughed. “I’m pretty sure you thought the world of me a couple minutes ago.”

They chatted and bantered for a couple minutes before they both fell asleep.

Senku woke up when it was early morning. When he opened his eyes he was a little shocked at first to see someone else in his bed. He sat up sleepily and realised it was Gen. He looked around his dark room. He could see the shadow of clothes on the floor.

His mind dropped to his feet. The sudden realisation of what he had just done came back to him.

He looked at Gen again, his hand covering his mouth in shock. Senku got out the bed as quietly as possible and pulled on sweatpants from his cupboard and stood in front of the narrow mirror on the wall. There was just enough light from the window for him to see himself.

He didn’t look different – save for the bruise on his neck and collarbone. But Senku couldn’t help but wrap his arms around his torso to hide himself from the person in the mirror.

It was a revolting cycle – hating the things about yourself that weren’t actually wrong. Self-hared isn’t something that comes from that person naturally. Self-hatred is caused by other people.  
Senku knew exactly who had caused his self-hatred. 

When he looked at his phone, he saw he had a couple messages from that very person. He stared at his bright phone screen. But then he looked at Gen, fast asleep in his bed.

“I want you to stop controlling me.” He whispered to the phone screen. But he felt so miserably stuck.

For now, he just put away his phone, got back under the covers and nervously wrapped his arms around Gen. He rested his forehead on Gen’s back and felt himself absorb the warmth of his body.

-

“I can’t believe you convinced him to do it.” Kohaku muttered as she looked at Ukyo.

Ukyo had shown up to the table with a septum piercing after Gen had convinced him to get it.

“I think it looks awesome!” Chrome said, throwing his arm around his blonde friend’s shoulder.

Gen sat down between Chrome and Kohaku. With Ukyo, he had also got himself another piercing, this time in his eyebrow. “I think you could all do with some metal in your face.”

“I have considered it.” Hyoga said, peeling off his weight lifting gloves to eat his lunch. “However it would be a hindrance for my athletics.”

Tsukasa nodded. “I have to agree with him there.”

“By that token, Homura and I can’t have piercings either.” Kohaku said.

Yuzuriha glanced around the table. “Well, Ryusui, Senku and Chrome don’t have that as an excuse.”

Ryusui stood up and lifted his shirt. “I already have one.” Everyone could see the piercing in his belly button.

Chrome looked at Senku. “Let’s go get some!”

Senku glanced up from his physics textbook. “Not happening.”

Everyone sighed at the table.  
“You really want to be the odd one out?” Ukyo asked.

Senku closed his book with a chuckle. “Men with piercings weren’t a thing in Russia for me.” Nor were men with long hair and women who didn’t wear heels.

Ryusui put on his best Russian accent. “This is not Russia.” He grabbed Senku’s chin and turned his head to the side. “A simple ear piercing would work too.”

But no one cared about that anymore. Everyone was looking at the bite bruise on his neck.

Kohaku raised an eyebrow evilly. “Who’d you get that from?”

Hyoga and Gen were the only people that knew but they both acted normal. It had been about a week since Hyoga came into the library and dropped the bombshell to Gen and Senku. Since then, things had changed between Senku and Gen. They’d go to classes in the mornings, meet up with everyone in the afternoons, work in the library for the evening and spend the rest of the night in Senku’s dorm. Those nights were spent doing various things – making out, watching anime, getting hot and heavy or reading together. Gen hadn’t been in his dorm for four days. Hyoga seemed to be the only one to notice the change, considering that he was the catalyst for the change.

They’d hadn’t spoken about it, but Senku wasn’t ready to tell their friends. He knew they would be fine with it and support them. But there was still that seed of paranoia in his mind.

“A human.” Senku said with a smile to answer Kohaku’s question.  
And he sighed when he heard Taiju running up to them, screaming and saving the day.

The loud brunette bounded up to the table and slammed a piece of paper on the table. “AAAAAH I’M SO EXCITED!”

Homura picked up the piece of paper and everyone leaned in to look it at.

It was a poster ripped from the university wall. It was promoting the university orchestra performance. It was of a stage of orchestra members with their instruments. In the middle was Gen sitting at a grand piano and Ukyo next o him with his violin on his shoulder.

“Yuzuriha made the best clothing for you guys!” Taiju yelled, pointed at the suits Ukyo and Gen were wearing.

Gen was wearing a split tailed black jacket, a lavender waist coat and dress pants with chains on the pockets. Ukyo wore a simple double breasted jacket with a pastel yellow bow tie.

“You did a really good job, Yuzuriha.” Tsukasa complimented.

Ryusui chuckled loudly. “Speaking of which, I bought us all tickets!” he pulled tjem from his jacket pockets and everyone took one for themselves and thanked him.

Senku glanced at the ticket then up at Gen. They shared a subtle smile at the same time.

-

“Why didn’t you get us front row seats?” Taiju asked as they all sat in the second row a week later.

The whole hall was buzzing with chatter and excitement. Many of the people were from the university. Senku figured the university orchestra must be pretty amazing if young people were coming to see a classical music performance. He hadn’t seen much of Gen and Ukyo over the last few days. They were after all stars of the performance, with Gen leading in the piano and Ukyo heading the strings section

“It would hurt our necks to sit in the front.” Homura replied to Taiju.

The hall started to quiet down as the lights dimmed. Senku got comfortable with one foot on the seat with his elbow resting on his knee.

The dark blue curtains started to peel away to reveal a single figure standing under a spotlight.  
It was Ukyo Saionji.  
Along with all his friends, Senku smiled when they saw him.  
The rest of the stage lit up to show off the rest of the orchestra members and a conductor leading them.  
There was a short countdown and then the instruments burst to [life](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N6mBK9Hec4&t=28s) Senku didn’t recognise the song so he figured it was a classical song. It was still lively and fast nonetheless and a lot of people were tapping their feet along with the fast violin and piano. But most of all, everyone on the stage looked like they were enjoying themselves. When he squinted, Senku could see Ukyo and Gen grinning widely as they played their instruments with ease. The song was short but it was the perfect warm up to what was coming next. Before the next song, Gen cracked his knuckles and spoke loud enough for the whole crowd to hear. “You’ll all know the next song so you’re welcome to sing along.” He smirked down at the keys then. Nobody had enough time to think about what the song would before a single violin and powerful piano launched into the song. The rest of the orchestra followed the universally familiar tune. Everyone in the hall knew the [song](https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=A0geK.MBVjVgetcAw7pXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZANDMDkzNF8xBHNlYwNwaXZz?p=smells+like+teen+spirit&fr2=piv-web&fr=yhs-invalid#id=1&vid=8cbc798ef6bcd55946f5c26a6501a423&action=view) within seconds. And of course everyone sang along at the top of their lungs.

“Load up on guns, bring your friends  
It's fun to lose and to pretend  
She's over bored and self-assured  
Oh no, I know a dirty word”

Even Hyoga and Tsukasa were singing along in their deep voices. Neon lights flashed around the musicians and crowd. Many people were standing up and singing in unison.  
Everyone shared the same joy of losing their minds.

Now Senku saw why so many people came tonight. The music made it feel like he had electricity running through is veins. He found himself standing up and cheering and singing along with everyone else.

The people on stage looked as static as the music. They swayed with the music, bobbed their heads and put their full force into performing.

As if things couldn’t get even livelier, everyone recognised the next song in a millisecond with a cello playing playing a few [notes](https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=yhs-invalid&ei=UTF-8&p=white+stripes+seven+nation+army#id=1&vid=964922044ae8d217cdc9da60d5f2ec47&action=click)

As the song grew louder, more lights flicked on and a woodwind section appeared. Senku was pretty sure the whole performance could be heard from outside but no one seemed to care. The whole crowd was singing along again.

It was easy to see why Ukyo and Gen had been chosen to lead the show. The violinist led the strings with utter perfection and determination and the piano from Gen added the base ground for everything.

The third piece started off sounding rather depressing, but nonetheless, everyone sang along happily. 

“Is this the real life?  
Is this just fantasy?  
Caught in a landslide  
No escape from reality. . .”

Of course, every person here knew what was coming and sang with anticipation for when the song got louder and happier.

And when the lively chorus came around, everyone had their arms around each and were screaming along. Taiju had his arm thrown around Senku and he was screaming in his ear. But Senku didn’t mind one bit. All that really mattered that he was with his old friends and the awesome new friends he had made.

When Bohemian Rhapsody was over, everyone sits down as the musicians seem to calm down and became a lot sterner.

The last and final song was far stretch of difference from the other three that had just been performed.

A soft piano started the [song.](https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video;_ylt=AwrJ7FSKWTVg2ykAe0hXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZANDMDkzNF8xBHNlYwNwaXZz?p=where+is+my+mind+orchestral&fr2=piv-web&fr=yhs-invalid#id=4&vid=feb7075a948712f5674e41d9acd3e60b&action=view) The strings followed soon after. The same determination was there in the musicians of course, but it was . . . sadder.

Senku had seen a couple sad movies and read a depressing book or two. But this was something completely different. If regret was a sound it would be this song. This song felt like he was walking upstairs but missed the next step and he was to fall to nothing. It felt like the notes themselves were clawing their way up his spin and into the back of his eyes.

He didn’t realise his hands were shaking until he heard the slight rattle of his watch against the arm rest of the seat.

He glanced at his friends next to him. Then he looked at the stage at Ukyo. His eyes locked on Gen, who was swaying his head to the music he played on the grand piano.

Senku’s hone buzzed. A message from Him. He held the phone and stared at the screen then back at his friends.  
He thought of everything that had happened over the past weeks – getting hugged to death by his best friend again, meeting these people, eating lunch everyday with people that were so accepting, being driven around and being trusted enough to see someone’s uncurious family member, and nights in the library with Gen.

Gen- 

Walking to the dorms together. Suggesting books to each other, talking Meta physics at a piano in the library. Their first kiss in the library. Waking up with Gen next to him.

Gen, on the stage, being himself and making others smile because of that.

“All of you – you shouldn’t accept what’s so broken.” He said to himself.

Senku put on his poker face and tapped Taiju on the shoulder. “Be right back.”  
He got up, walked along the aisle and started towards the hall exit.

It was quiet and dark outside. The only signs of society was Hyoga, leaning on a tall flower pot, having a smoke break. 

Senku approached him causally, hands in his pockets. “Yo.” 

Hyoga blew out smoke and blinked at Senku flatly. “Yes?”

Senku glanced to the street. “I’m going back to Russia.”

Hyoga tapped the cigarette out in the flowerpot. “Alright. I’ll tell them.”

Senku nodded at him. He didn’t linger any longer and turned towards the street.

As Hyoga watched his light hair disappear into the dark night, he swear he saw Senku’s shoulders heave and shake with tears.

A few minutes later, Taiju came bursting out the hall and barrelled straight to Hyoga.  
“Where’s Senku!?”

“On his way to Russia.” He blankly replied.

The rest of his friends followed Taiju.

“You have to be kidding.” Kohaku said.

Hyoga shrugged. “He just said he was going back to Russia and that I must tell you guys.”

“Why didn’t you stop him!? Taiju yelled at Hyoga. And then he attempted to bolt down the street but Tsukasa grabbed him.

“Think about it,” Tsukasa started, holding Taiju back. “Senku would never make an illogical choice like that. He probably has a good reason for going.”

But Taiju didn’t seem to care. He just looked down the street. “Don’t leave us again, Senku!”

The crack in his voice rattled even Hyoga. 

Ukyo looked confused. “Did something happen during the show?”

Ryusui suggested going after him with his car or even getting g to the airport with private transport or even demanding his plane be stopped, considering his family was powerful enough for that. But Tsukasa cut him off.

“Taiju, Yuzuriha, what happened to Senku’s father?”

The people in question froze and then shared a gaze. But they were silent.

Gen finally spoke up, his fringe hiding his eyes. “His father – is he buried in Japan or in Russia?”

“Buried?” Chrome gasped. “How’d you know he died?”

“I saw him sending money to maintain a grave when I was in his dorm the other day.” He explained dryly.

Yuzuriha’s throat tightened. “Russia.”

Homura added her own suggestion. “He must be visiting his grave.”

Taiju had finally calmed down but still had tears in the corners of his eyes. “It’s gotta be more than that.” Everyone waited for him to explain. “A-after Senku’s dad passed away, he was adopted by a science teacher at his school.”

Yuzuriha gulped. “His name was Xeno Houston Wingfield.”

The group stayed quiet. Collectively, they all gazed down the endless ark street Senku Ishigami had disappeared down a few minutes ago.

**Author's Note:**

> a ha.
> 
> I have been really busy with school and moving houses so the next and final part will take long to be oublished. Sorry T-T
> 
> Comments about your thoughts and kodus are appreciated <3


End file.
